Camel Spider – Camel Spider Facts – and Camel Spider Video

Camel Spider - Found in Deserts

Camel spiders are called camel spiders because they are normally found in the desert where you are likely to find camels – they have nothing to do with camels.

Camel spider belongs to the class Arachnida just as true spiders and scorpions. But whilst a camel spider belongs to class arachnida it is not a spider and it’s not a scorpion. A camel spider belongs to the order Solifugae within arachnida class whilst the true spider belongs to the order Araneae and the scorpion to the order Scorpiones but all within the arachnida class. This means a camel spider, true spider, and scorpion are related by different.

Camel Spider

Camel Spider - camel spiders do not have venom nor do they have silk glands.

Camel Spider Appears to have Ten Legs

All arachnids are joint-legged invertebrate animals. They have eight legs and in some species the front pair may convert to a sensory function.

The camel spider will appear to have ten legs. This is because the front jaws or palps are long and look like legs. These front appendages are for feeding, defense, and sensory perception.

Camel spiders can reach a length of 15cm when stretched out but the normal size is about 3cm. The abdomen of a camel spider has eleven segments and there is no segment separating the head from the abdomen. The camel spider has two visible eyes and five racket organs which are considered to be rudimentary eyes just as in scorpions. Camel spiders are carnivores and their diet includes small rodents, spiders, insects, termites, small lizards, etc

Sunspider - belongs to solifugid family just as a camel spider. Image credit: Braboowi, Wikipedia

Camel Spider will Chase You at High Speeds

If you get closer to a camel spider during a sunny day, the camel spider will chase you at a high speed of up to 5 meters per second. They do this as they try to flee from the sun thus chasing your shadow. A camel does not have venom nor do they have silk glands. They do kill their prey with their powerful jaws which are also used for chewing the prey.

And yes, a camel spider will bite you and if the wound is not treated it can get infection. The camel spider will usually rub its jaws (stridulatory organ) together producing a hissing sound which make them very scaring to some people when they produce that hissing sound. True, the hissing sound is really a defensive function for the camel spider.

Indirect Mating

A camel spider is capable of doing both direct mating and indirect mating. The indirect mating involves sperm transfer - the male camel spider will emit a spermatophore on the ground and then will use the chelicerae to inserts the spermatophore into the female camel spider's genital pore.

Camel Spider as a Pet

You can keep a camel spider as pet but before you do that you need to have experience with scorpions as camel spiders are equally very aggressive.

Camel Spider Video

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Comments 24 comments

Very good hub. I had heard of them since my daughters has a friend in Iraq but just assumed they were big spiders.

Singular Investor 7 years ago from Oxford

Interesting hub - nice to know they are not venomous !

sarmack 7 years ago from Washington

This spider looks well armored, doesn't he?! Sometimes, things are just not as they appear! Thank you for the informative pieces.

flread45 7 years ago from Montana

I have one in a picture frame.

Mardi 7 years ago from Western Canada and Texas

Wow, glad I don't have to deal with these where I live. Still, very interesting hub, thanks!

diogenes 7 years ago

Unless my math is wrong, they do 18 kilometers an hour! So they can easily outrun everyone except, perhaps, Usane Bolt!

Interesting article about a strange creature.

Bob

Michael drogs 7 years ago

Thank you article good..

sarovai 7 years ago

Five hold stretching body , really wonderful. thank u for sharing .

Adam B 7 years ago

Wow that is a fast spider!

Boss Mare 7 years ago

Hi, just this morning my daughter brings me an unusual looking insect and I thought it looked a lot like the pic in this hub. So, I am looking at this pic right now and I swear it is the same bug. Ten legs - yep, cause I counted them this morning. Powerful jaws - yep, cause I thougt to myself "I sure wouldn't to be bit by this critter!"

What I don't know is - are they suppose to be here in the USA? I live in Idaho. That is were we found this insect. Please let me know if they are suppose to be here or not. If not, I don't know how it got here!

ngureco 7 years ago Author

Camel spiders are to be found in areas where there are deserts except in Australia. In North America, they are found in arid regions of western North America.

Mitch King 7 years ago from Wilsoville, OR, USA

Those are some wicked looking spiders. I am glad we do not have them where I live.

JeniMarie17 7 years ago from Florida

WOW! that things is scary and I was just ready to run the other direction when i saw this but I read and that is crazy awesome hub man but i think if i ever saw it im running away! lol great job man

spunkyduckling @ do we eat spiders in our sleep 6 years ago

You almost made me cry. I hope never to come near one of these. 3cm is small..It is interesting that they chase you to get out the sun. Excellent post.

LoganTheWriter 6 years ago from Alabama

The video is not working! :( I was looking forward for that.

ngureco 6 years ago Author

Hi logan,

The video here is working well.

LoganTheWriter 6 years ago from Alabama

Isn't that the sun spider on the video?

Spike 5 years ago

Makes me glad I stick to scorpions as pets. Wouldn't be able to sleep knowing I had one of those in my house, harmless and caged or not.

ChristineVianello 5 years ago from Philadelphia

That is not a spider, its a demon!

JasonPLittleton 5 years ago

Great job.

PADDYBOY60 5 years ago from Centreville Michigan

This room is not big enough for the both of us spider, you can have it, I'm gone!

AngelaJo 4 years ago

We do have these "spiders" here in Montana.....creepy! Thanks for the info!!

Edward J. Palumbo 2 years ago from Tualatin, OR

Interesting, though I have no intention of keeping one as a pet. I do like to recognize and understand wildlife. Thank you for this information!